The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In automobile air bag applications, fasteners are used to join the air bag directly to a vehicle panel or to a trim piece which is subsequently installed to sections or metal body portions of the automobile. Common fasteners used for these applications have a torque applied to the fastener which is remotely connected to an information collection device such as a computer, which receives an indication of the torque applied. When a predetermined torque value is indicated, an auditable record is generated of the completed installation of the fastener. Drawbacks of the torque fastener are the costs of the fastener and the need for both the torque application tool and the electronic circuitry required to record the torque signal. Also, remote indication of a correctly applied torque does not by itself ensure that the fastener and therefore the air bag have been installed in the correct location in the vehicle.
Clip fasteners have been substituted for the above torque fasteners due to their reduced costs and simplified installation. Clip fasteners are commonly made of molded plastic material. When the clip fastener is made of a polymeric material and is not installed using an electrically connected torque driver, an auditable electronic record of clip fastener installation is commonly not available. A visual, auditable confirmation of correct installation of each clip fastener is therefore required. Known clip fasteners do not provide for ease of installation and a visual, auditable confirmation of their correct installation.